An academic is calling for a change to the building code in Ontario to help protect properties against hurricanes. Greg Kopp of Western University wants the province to make ‘hurricane clips’ mandatory. He told The London Free Press: “They are like seat-belts for your house. If you lose the roof, the house is usually a write-off.” He says that the measure could be implemented for as little as $200 per home.
As an isolated cost it sounds feasible however builders argue that with a number of Ontario Building Code changes being introduced it all adds up to higher costs for new homes. Doug Tarry, a builder from St. Thomas, said that the clips sound like a good idea but there is a fine balance: “There’s a lot of upward pressure on costs. We have to balance making homes more energy efficient against whether people can still afford to buy it.”
As an isolated cost it sounds feasible however builders argue that with a number of Ontario Building Code changes being introduced it all adds up to higher costs for new homes. Doug Tarry, a builder from St. Thomas, said that the clips sound like a good idea but there is a fine balance: “There’s a lot of upward pressure on costs. We have to balance making homes more energy efficient against whether people can still afford to buy it.”
